GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

The Geological Sciences provide ways of understanding and appreciating dynamic earth processes, our physical environment, and our place in the long and complex history of the planet and solar system. They also provide the background for rewarding careers in industry, government, and academia. Our faculty offer exceptional learning and research opportunities in geology, geochemistry, geophysics, environmental geology, planetary geology, and paleontology.

The geosciences attract students with broad interests in earth science, chemistry, biology, environmental science, archeology, physics, astronomy, oceanography, applied mathematics, or engineering. Our department strongly encourages combined majors. In addition to combinations with the above fields, many of our undergraduate geoscience students have double majors or minors in the following fields: business (especially finance, real estate, or marketing), economics, prelaw, computer science, archaeology, foreign languages, English, history, journalism, and premed. Geology is attractive to these students because it is an interdisciplinary, applied science which integrates well with other fields.

Academic programs in the geosciences are tailor-made to the educational and career objectives of each student. Because of the heavily funded active research programs within the Department and our close ties with the Dallas geological community, students are often afforded excellent pre- and post-graduation employment opportunities in the geological sciences.  The Department also has a substantial amount of financial aid available for undergraduate majors in the geological sciences, including Department scholarships, appointments as Teaching Assistants, and support for off-campus field programs.

We offer three majors in the Geological Sciences -- Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Geology. The B.A. degree is offered in Geology, and the B.S. degree is offered in all three discipline areas. We coordinate a Minor in Environmental Earth Science that can be combined with just about any other degree program on campus. We also advise students taking an Earth Science Emphasis in the Environmental Science Program (see that degree program for details).



For more information, contact:

Dr. John W. Goodge
Undergraduate Adviser
Department of Geological Sciences
Southern Methodist University
P.O. Box 730395
Dallas, TX 75275-0395
voice: (214) 768-4140
fac: (214) 762-2701